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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/29014638">And the Cycle Continues</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/mirab_exe/pseuds/mirab_exe'>mirab_exe</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Original Work</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>F/F, sidecharacterdeath</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2021-01-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2021-01-27</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-18 10:27:12</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>General Audiences</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>Major Character Death</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>2</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>7,750</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/29014638</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/mirab_exe/pseuds/mirab_exe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>It's a mix of lesbian cottagecore and dark academia. Meet Tahlia who is a village girl and Nadia the soon-to-be crowned princess. Go with them along their away of love, death, and passion. Will they end up together or will they have a fate more tragic than Romeo and Juliet. Find out in "And the Cycle Continues."</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>FriendstoLovers - Relationship, cottagecore - Relationship, lesbiancottagecore</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>1. Chapter 1</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Tahlia walks down a stone path on her way to the marketplace. She made her way to the produce section of the market and asked about the price of cabbages. After purchasing the cabbage, she went to buy rice and beans from another stand before hearing her name, “Tahlia!” She turned around and saw her childhood friend, Aston Hunte, running towards her. Tahlia was lifting her basket and trying to put it on her shoulder. “Here, let me get that.” Aston grabbed her basket and walked together with Tahlia towards her house. Tahlia felt Aston glance at her every so often and asked what was wrong,<br/>
“Are you okay?” Tahlia grabbed Aston arm and stopped them in their tracks.<br/>
“Of course I am just worried about you,” Ashton said as he stopped too. Then he looked at her in the eyes and said, “We are entering dark times.”<br/>
“I know but you have little faith in the king’s daughter”<br/>
“I’ve heard that she killed her mother in order to make sure that she was the only one to inherit the crown.”<br/>
“Those are just rumors, I believe she can end the unrest in this country.”<br/>
“All right whatever you say,” Ashton said while shaking his head and continuing to walk towards her father’s shop, “Come on your father is waiting.” And just like that they both walked off towards the direction of the tailor shop, both unaware of the fates a few years down the road.</p><p>	Nadia gazed upon the portrait of her mother and father. It depicted her father sitting on a throne and her mother putting her hand on his shoulder while standing. She looked into her mother’s eyes, forest green eyes stared back at her. She was always told she shared a likeness with her father but had her mother’s eyes. So, there she stood looking into eyes identical to her. Nadia snapped out of her thoughts when she heard his father.<br/>
“Nadia!”<br/>
She flinched at the sound of her father yelling. Nadia’s mother died when she was twelve. After her mother died, her father threw himself into his wars and battles. Barely spending time with Nadia in her early teen years it was not until Nadia turned fifteen that her father showed her any attention. And it wasn’t the attention she wanted. Her father started to groom her into becoming queen which meant yelling at her at any given point for the littlest mistake. It never mattered if the mistake was small or big she would still get yelled. The king would never raise a hand to his daughter but he would hurt him with words.<br/>
Disappointment.<br/>
Mistake.<br/>
Ungrateful.<br/>
Unworthy.<br/>
Freak.<br/>
Her own cruel little crown of pain.<br/>
“Yes father?”<br/>
“There is to be a ball in a couple of months for your coronation as the crowned princess.”<br/>
Nadia now felt as if the world was on her shoulders as she remembered the small crown that sat upon his head. It was silver and dipped into a ‘v’ in the middle of his forehead. Without the crown she was just Nadia the Lord of some land but with the crown everyone looked at her with fear in their eyes. The fear was justified because with a wave of her hand, their heads could be on a pike. Not that she would ever do that but the notion is what got to them.<br/>
“And what about it father,” Nadia said as she walked towards her father. Her father gripped her by the shoulders and said,<br/>
“Well you must have a gown made. And I know just the place it is where your mother got her coronation dress”<br/>
“When is the fitting for the dress?”<br/>
“This evening so get ready NOW!”<br/>
Nadia took a slight step back when she heard her father’s tone. She quickly scurried off to her room to change into something more ‘presentable’ to go to the tailor. When she was done she pondered his life. Her father had hurt her for most of it, not physically no the king would never lay a hand on his daughter but he would hurt her with words. </p><p>But you know what they say words cut sharper than any weapon.<br/>
And with that thought Nadia realized it was time for her to leave for the tailors. She stepped out of the castle and felt free. At last. It quickly withered away as she was ushered into the carriage and just like that she was riding to the tailor’s shop.</p><p>	Tahlia was clearing the tables of fabrics and threads at her father’s shop, Tyrone’s tailor shop, named after him. The shop itself was medium-sized with fitting rooms towards the back and different suits and dresses being modeled by mannequins around the front of the store. While dusting off some of the dresses in the front window she heard the door creak and heavy footsteps make their way towards her. When she looked up, she was met with piercing forest green eyes who stared straight back at her. It took Tahlia a moment to realize she was standing in front of the crowned princess. She broke her gaze and quickly bowed,<br/>
“Your majesty, forgive me. . . but what is the purpose of your visit?” She stood up and looked up at the princess.<br/>
“I am here for a dress fitting.” She told her in a commanding tone.<br/>
“Of course. Let me go get my father, this is his shop after all.” Tahlia quickly bowed again and ran to get her father in the back, who was finishing the embroidering on a suit. “Father, the princess is here and said that she needed fitting for a dress.”<br/>
“Ah yes, you do remember the special guest I was talking about?”<br/>
“Well yes, but I didn’t know it was the princess”<br/>
Her father walked out of the backroom and walked Nadia into one of the fancy fitting rooms. Tahlia had only ever entered those rooms to clean, her father always told her that she was to never enter otherwise. Tyrone gestured to the platform and started to measure the princess. Nadia walked out of the fitting room and met Tahlia’s shining black eyes who was waiting for her father to exit the room. Tahlia quickly looked away and practically ran out of the room.<br/>
A thought occurred in Nadia’s mind for a single fleeting moment. She was the prettiest girl she had ever laid eyes upon. The thought quickly dissipated as she realized who she was and who she was. It could never happen her father would never allow it to happen. But then again who was her father to decide who she courted, the king was an old man who was on the verge of death. Maybe, just maybe she would have her wish. She quickly snapped out of her thoughts as the shop owner escorted her to the carriage while telling her about the appointment times. Her eyes wandered to the intricate designs on some of the dresses in the shop’s window display.<br/>
“Excuse me, but who designed these dresses?” Nadia questioned as she stared at the suits.<br/>
“My daughter did, she is very skilled with a thread and needle”<br/>
“Is that so? Is she the one making my suit for me?”  The shop owners looked questionably at the princess. The princess still had not taken her eyes off the display.<br/>
“Uh. . . no, your majesty. I am.”<br/>
“May I commission your daughter to make my dress instead?”<br/>
“If that is what you request.”<br/>
“Then it is settled,” Nadia climbed into the carriage with a smile on her face. “Your daughter will make my suit. I look forward to it.” She shut the door of  the carriage and rode back to the castle thinking about the seamstress.<br/>
The girl with the black eyes that you could get lost in if you weren’t careful.<br/>
The girl with the face that would put Aphrodite to shame.<br/>
The girl with the voice that sounded like heaven on earth. </p><p>Tahlia leaned against a door frame and looked as the princess’s carriage rode off out of her sight and back to the castle. She thought of how handsome the princess was and did not notice her father walking towards her. Tyrone grabbed her daughter’s shoulders and shook them lightly. </p><p>	“Tahlia!”<br/>
Tahlia snapped out of her daze and stared back at her father.<br/>
“Yes, father?”<br/>
“The princess has requested that you tailor her suit instead of me.”<br/>
Tahlia’s eyes widened and she stared at her father for a second before saying<br/>
“You can’t be serious!”<br/>
“Oh my dear, I am very serious.”<br/>
She quickly composed herself and went upstairs where her and her father lived. It was small but to her it was home. Tahlia sat at the edge of her bed which was more of a cot rather than a bed. Her hands went white as she gripped the edge of the bed with such force. She, Tahlia, would be tailoring a suit for the princess. The Princess.<br/>
The same princess who had eyes that reminded her of the forest she played in as a kid.<br/>
The same princess who had a face that would have every woman in the kingdom feint.<br/>
The same princess who had a voice that made her calm and safe. Though Tahlia had only heard the princess speak a select number of times.</p><p>Nadia just had dinner with her father which consisted of the scraping of utensils against the plates and no talking. So there she laid in bed tossing and turning, able to lull herself to sleep.The princess had numerous thoughts running around in her head, most revolved around the seamstress, she is falling. Once she realized she could not go to bed she picked up a book from her bedside stand. It was titled Phèdre. She had watched the play with her mother but they left halfway through due to the main character declaring her love for her step-son. Safe to say it would have scarred her had her mother not insisted upon leaving the play. She smiled at the memories of her mother. After they left the theatre her mother took him to a sweets shop that sold chocolate. It was the first and only time Nadia had ever had chocolate. Her father was allergic to cocoa beans so they were not allowed in the castle at all. The tears then started to fall from her eyes as she remembered her mother. The mother that would run around the gardens with her. That night resembled many other nights for Nadia, crying herself to sleep.<br/>
She cried out, “Why mother? Why did you leave me? Did I do something? Please help me understand!” Nadia always waited for an answer that would never come. But she still had hope in her heart but it was starting to diminish.<br/>
Tahlia had cooked dinner for her and her father and quickly set the table as she heard her father walking up the stairs to get to their living space. They both had dinner in silence both understanding the other was tired from the day. Tahlia had done chores for most of the day and her father had been sewing the entire day and him being an old man did not help.<br/>
Once they finished she cleaned the table and changed into her nightgown that she made. Tahlia then sat down in front of her vanity which consisted of a table, a mirror, and a hairbrush. She picked up the brush and began brushing out her hair. She allowed her mind to wander about Ashton and her relationship with him. They were childhood friends and she wasn’t blind she knew Ashton was developing feelings towards. But no matter how hard she tried she just could not come to feel romantic feelings towards him. Then she wondered about the handsome princess who had a velvety voice that could put her to-<br/>
She dropped the brush onto the vanity and quickly jumped into her bed and tried to forget what she said. Because she was afraid of her feelings for her. Boy was she falling.<br/>
Her mother died when she was very young so she had no memory of her. Tahlia remembered her mother in bits and pieces. She remembered a picnic and a blurry image of her mother standing in the sunlight to protect her from the sun shining down on her. That was what most of her memories were; blurry faces and peace surroundings.<br/>
Both Nadia and Tahlia fell asleep thinking of the same thing. Their mothers.</p><p>THE NEXT MORNING…..<br/>
Tahlia woke up that day determined to not let some silly princess plague her mind. She changed into one of her dresses that she designed and quickly brushed her hair and splashed her face with water. When she hurried downstairs she saw her dad already working on some suits. “You should get started on that dress you’re designing for that princess,” Tyrone said while turning to look at her.<br/>
“I should do that but do you  know where my thread and needle is?” Tahlia said as she walked around looking for it.<br/>
“Have you checked that drawer in your nightstand?”<br/>
“No thank you!” Tahlia yelled while running back up the stairs. “Got it thank you now I should really be getting started.” Tyrone simply nodded his head and went back to work. Tahlia dragged a chair over to a mannequin and started to design the muslin for the dress. The princess had wide hips and a big chest but in her dresses she tried to hide that. Tahlia decided to make the dress accentuate her bottom half because the princess seemed more confident in that. She also liked the idea of being able to move around a lot in the dress so she wanted to make the dress out of a flexible material. Tahlia worked away at the muslin until it made her tired beyond belief.<br/>
She walked back upstairs with her needle and put away the needle and took a nap. When she woke up again the sun was already setting so went downstairs to check on her father only to find Ashton was down there waiting for her. Ashton was holding a straw picnic basket and dressed in his regular dress pants and a loose shirt.<br/>
“You didn’t forget today is Friday after all”<br/>
Fuck, I forgot. “Of course I didn’t forget, let me go grab my boots.”<br/>
As she made her way up the stairs she muttered many colorful curse words. Had her father heard her he might have had a heart attack but thankfully he never heard her. It was thanks to his old ears that he never heard Tahlia swear under her breath. Tahlia ran to her boots and changed out of her ballet flats. She grabbed a piece of cloth from her bedside table. Tahlia raced down the stairs and tied her hair up while not paying attention to the steps. Her boot caught itself on the stair and she ended up falling straight to the ground below her. When she opened her eyes  Ashton was standing above her with an outstretched arm. She looked up at him and he looked angelic almost and looked like he was holding back a smile.<br/>
“Yep, still the same Tahlia. The one who could walk with grace down the street but not make it down the stairs”<br/>
“Oh, shut up you have no room to talk”<br/>
“Really whatever are you talking about?”<br/>
“Mr. I’m going to be in the military because I’m going through a midlife crisis”<br/>
“Hey that's going a littl-”<br/>
“And then dropping out because their too chicken”<br/>
Just then Tyrone rounded the corner and stared at the two.<br/>
“You two have fun, and don’t worry about me Tahlia I’ll be fine.”<br/>
They made their way to the door and Tahlia quickly kissed her dad on the cheek before heading out. Ashton had decided to take them both on a picnic today to watch the sunset. He thought it would be a romantic date and Tahlia thought so too but was trying to make it a friend date.<br/>
“So I may have gone a little too far,” Tahlia said to Ashton as they both headed to the location of their ‘date.’<br/>
“Just a little,” Ashton said as he held up his fingers to show him making a pinching motion to show the amount Tahlia had gone over the line.<br/>
“Well then you have to deal with it chicken boy,” Tahlia breathed out as she bounded down the path.<br/>
“Hey!” Ashton said while running after her.<br/>
The dirt path was hard because of the lack of rainfall this made it easier for Tahlia to run but Ashton still was able to get to her. She squealed as he wrapped his arms around her waist from behind and twirled her around.<br/>
“Come on, we're gonna miss the sunset if we take too long!” Tahlia exclaimed as she walked hurriedly down the path. Ashton followed behind her at the same pace looking like a lovesick kitten.<br/>
Once they made it to the spot which was surrounded by flowers except for a dirt path that led you there and out. Tahlia laid the cloth blanket they were going to sit on while Ashton was setting up the rest of the picnic. Once everything was set up the sun was already starting to set so they both started to eat. Both of them were not rich so dinner consisted of bread and a sauce Tahlia made from tomatoes and had given Ashton earlier in the week.<br/>
“Ok if you had the opportunity to become the castle seamstress”<br/>
“I don’t think that is an actual profession”<br/>
Both of them contemplated it and then they just looked at each other and laughed.<br/>
“Would you become a baker?”<br/>
“Yes of course my father and mother are already teaching so I can inherit the shop”<br/>
“How is your mother and father?”<br/>
“They are doing well, they got a reservation to make serve bread and cheese at the princess’ coronation”<br/>
Ashton would freak out if he found out about her tailoring the princess’ dress. A little lie never hurt anyone right?, Tahlia thought.<br/>
“Really? Did you know my father is tailoring a dress for the princess?”<br/>
“No way, things are really turning up in our lives aren’t they?”<br/>
“Yeah they truly are,” Tahlia said while looking up at the night sky. She watched the stars and occasionally looked over at Aston. Ashton was doing the same but he was looking at the constellations the stars made and then looking over at the girl he loved. They both walked back to Tahlia’s house in silence, both severely distracted by their thoughts.<br/>
Ashton thought about the life he was going to have with Tahlia. One big happy family. Maybe they would have a dog or a cat; it did not matter to him as long as he was with Tahlia. He glanced over at her. He could tell she was lost in thought because of how her forehead was slightly creased and it looked like she was glaring at the ground.<br/>
Tahia thought about the princess and she made Tahlia feel something Ashton never did. To Tahlia it was unheard of; a girl liking another girl. They would scream heretics in their face and be burned. Well Tahlia would be burned Nadia would probably deny it and become queen forgetting about her. She imagined living in a small cottage, one her mother described, it was by a lake and small but it was home. Tahlia imagined the sun shining down on her face and she looked over and saw Nad- the princess sleeping there peacefully.<br/>
“Question”<br/>
“Go for it”<br/>
“What do you want to do with your life?”<br/>
“That’s a question”<br/>
“Yes<br/>
~<br/>
Nadia woke up that morning and quickly changed into some dress that had a simplistic design to it. You see, Nadia was going hunting and she needed a simple dress that allowed her to move about. Not that anyone cared she was coming because all they saw her as was an anchor. She shrugged on her coat and walked outside only to be greeted by many guards. For a fleeting moment she forgot who he was and her responsibilities. She quickly got on her horse and prepared herself for the trainwreck that would be this hunting trip.<br/>
Cut to hours later and you guessed it! It was a complete trainwreck. It started out fine but then someone accidentally shot another's horse. How it is possible Nadia had no clue. Anyways the horse had to be left behind and the person hurt their leg so they had to be taken back to the infirmary. And, not only did someone that was the prince to another nation come, he decided it would be a good idea to propose to her. She, of course, said no but he did not take that and kept repeatedly asking to which she responded with no. When he asked for the last time she was fed up and punched him in the face.<br/>
Nadia rode back to the castle and locked herself in her room still trying to process everything that happened. While she was processing her father stormed in and started to shout at her about how she had just started a war and that she needed to apologize to the prince. Nadia stepped back towards her bed and simply looked down and agreed. You would think maybe they would get married and this was them getting introduced to each other but the king already has a plan for lineage. She was to be married to some noble that she had never even heard of and have a baby. The only problem; Nadia. Nadia did not want to get married and she was much less interested in men. But she learned how to suppress her hatred for her father’s ideas.<br/>
Suppressing her feelings was something Nadia was a pro at but these types of feelings were different. It wasn’t like she was just pushing down her anger issues she was pushing down her love for someone. Her love for Talia. God even her name is amazing, she thought.<br/>
She knew it was accepted in Adraria but it still made her nervous, her father would not care and marry her off to a common woman she knew nothing about. However in some villages and areas same sex relationships were less accepted especially with the area that Tahlia lived in.<br/>
“Does she even like me?” Nadia whispered to herself. Tahlia couldn’t, she thought. Questions danced around in her head, an organized chaos of questions. Like a ballet act that went in perfect sync. Does she accept this behavior? What would she think of it? How would their relationship work? And the questions went on and on. You’ll notice that not one of the questions was “what will other people think?” That is because Nadia never cared for others thoughts on her; she was unequivocally herself and it was something Tahlia would come to love in the later years.<br/>
Nadia flops down on her bed and stares up at the ceiling. She wished for the ceiling to open up and a pegasus would swoop her off her feet and take her to Tahlia.<br/>
“How can one girl that I have only met once do this to me,” Nadia whispered to herself as she slowly started to drift off to sleep. </p><p>Tahlia, unknowingly, had a hold over Nadia. And Nadia loved it.</p>
  </div></div>
<a name="section0002"><h2>2. Rejection and Dejection</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Summary for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
            <p>Secret unearthed, relationships broken, and hearts broken. Find out in "And the Cycle Continues."</p>
          </blockquote></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>Nadia woke up with a pit in her stomach. It had been a few days since the last appointment. And today was the next appointment for Nadia to get her dress tailored. She put on a simplistic dress that had flowy sleeves and some designs done on the bodice. Before Nadia left her father entered the room and gave a quick lecture on etiquette.<br/>
She had heard the lecture a million times but still endured it. When he was finished with the speech he grabbed her chin roughly. “Don’t bring dishonor on this family name!” the king shouted in her face. All she did was nod and he let go of her chin roughly. He quickly exited the room and Nadia checked herself in the mirror to see if her chin had a bruise of any kind. When she confirmed that it did not she took a deep breath and exited the room. She muttered under her breath, “You can do this, you can do…”<br/>
Nadia didn’t understand why she was so nervous. Never in her life had she felt this pit, except for it didn’t feel like when she was dreading speaking to her father. The feeling felt more freeing and breezy, it made her want to go around and hug everyone she saw. She read books that described a similar feeling it was called “butterflies in one’s stomach.” That was exactly how she felt. These butterflies made her feel as though she was on top of the entire world.<br/>
Nadia quickly made her way to the carriage and entered it without looking back at all. It was a bumpy ride but Nadia didn’t mind, it gave her something to focus on. She would count the increments between each one of the bumps; usually it was fourteen seconds but every once in a while you would get an outlier. In no one time she made it to the tailor’s shop and stepped out. She took her time getting into the shop as she was admiring the new dresses in the window, no doubt made by Tahlia.</p><p>Tahlia watched as she admired the dresses from a window from the second floor. Her morning heavily contrasted from Nadia’s. Tahlia woke up feeling refreshed and quickly made breakfast for her and her father. She had a couple of hours to do anything she wanted before Nadia came so she decided to read a book. This book was one of romance and she hid away from her father.<br/>
The reason being the book depicted a relationship between two women, which in the book was completely normal but to her out of this world. Tahlia closed the book after reading a couple of pages and stared out the window and let her mind wander. She pictured the princess as the female knight in the book who slayed the beast and saved the kingdom. And Tahlia pictured herself as the village girl who was basically the damsel in distress in this book.<br/>
She would never say that she viewed herself as a damsel in distress but in her mind there was no way to truly be herself. Tahlia was like a bird with its wings cut. There was no way for her to escape the life she had, though she did try to imagine it. The brown-haired girl imagined living in some cottage somewhere far away from where she lived. She imagined that by herself until recently where she met the princess of her dreams.<br/>
While staring out the window she saw a carriage stop in front of the stop and saw the princess exit the carriage. When Tahlia was about to run down she hesitated and saw Nadia admiring the dresses in the window. The dresses she made. This moment was over quickly because Tahlia snapped back into reality and rushed downstairs successfully not tripping over her dress. She quickly grabbed a rag and pretended she was cleaning a table and not checking out Nadia a couple seconds ago. Nadia pushed the door open and made her way to where she saw Tahlia.<br/>
“I am here for my second fitting,” Nadia said, trying not to stutter in front of her.<br/>
“Your majesty! Please follow me this way,” Tahlia said while also trying not to stutter.<br/>
“You can call me Nadia if you would like”<br/>
“No! That would be improper!”<br/>
“Fine, how about calling me Nadia when we are alone?”<br/>
“Alright, but only if you call me Tahlia”<br/>
“I would expect no less”<br/>
They both walked to the back room with their heads tilted downwards. Both to hide their blushes from each other. Once they made their way towards the back room Nadia stood upon a little circular platform while Tahlia took final measurements.<br/>
“Tahlia is an interesting name. A very unique name. Where did you get it?” Nadia asked, trying to make small talk. Tahlia was still laser focused on the measurements and quickly moved around Nadia to take some extra measurements.<br/>
“My mother and father met in a tavern. My mother visited that tavern a lot and one of the waitresses introduced her to my father. They fell in love and had me. They named me after the waitress that introduced them to one another,” Tahlia said while looking down at a notebook that had Nadia’s measurements. “Where did you get your name, you- Nadia?”<br/>
“I think my great great grandmother had the name and they named me after her,” Nadia said uncertainty because she honestly had no idea where her name came from. They stood in silence for a couple seconds before Nadia spoke again, “You have a pretty name.”<br/>
“Thank you, you have a pretty name as well,” Tahlia said while smiling. Nadia turned around to face her and smiled towards her and Tahlia smiled right back at her.<br/>
“I have your measurements you are free to go if you would like”<br/>
“What if I don’t want to go?” Nadia said, feeling bold.<br/>
“Then you can stay with lunch if you would like”<br/>
“I would like that, thank you”<br/>
They continued to smile at one other. Tahlia decided that they could have a picnic in the town square and get some food from the bakery.<br/>
“You need to change”<br/>
“Oh! Yeah-”<br/>
“You’ll get recognized if you don’t change and we don’t want that,” Tahlia whispered while grabbing her hand and dragging her upstairs. Once they got upstairs Nadia looked around the place which she noticed to be organized. While Tahlia rushed to her room and grabbed a dress and a hat from her father’s closet. “Here,” Tahlia said while shoving the clothes in Nadia’s hands. The princess quickly changed behind a changing screen and walked out from behind it. Tahlia’s eyes widened because Nadia pulled off that dress better than she ever did.<br/>
“What does it look bad? I don’t care if it does but does-”<br/>
“It- um- wow-it suits your pretty eyes” Tahlia quickly looked down in order to hide her blush. Nadia simply smiled at the fact Tahlia complemented her. Nadia dismissed the carriage and told them to come back  When they left the house they both were in high spirits due to the fact that the other one was accompanying them. While walking to the town square they stole glances at each other and met eyes multiple times. Every time they met eyes their eyes would widen and then they would look down. A true love story in the making.<br/>
Once they got to the town square they headed towards a small shop that had glass windows displaying different types of baked goods.<br/>
“Hi Mr. Hunte, could I get a loaf of bread and some cheese?” Tahlia said while grabbing some coins from her pouch. Nadia tried to step in to pay but Tahlia put her hand up to signal that she would pay for them.<br/>
“Hello Tahlia coming right up. How are you and Ashton doing?” The father asked while gathering a basket of the things she requested.<br/>
“Oh, we’re doing well. We recently had dinner together in a field of flowers,” Tahlia said while smiling though Nadia noticed the smile never reached her eyes. As Nadia heard her talk about their ‘date’ she became jealous. She wanted to be the one Tahlia would talk about and go on pretty dates like that. Though she never said this aloud and kept it to herself, Nadia looked around the shop and noticed the simplistic design on the walls that made the shop seem sophisticated and regal.<br/>
“That’s nice Tahlia here you go, would you like to sit on the roof with your friend?” He asked while glancing between the two. Mr. Hunte could have sworn the friend looked similar but he could not place his finger on it.<br/>
“Yes we would like that very much thank you,” Tahlia said while grabbing Nadia’s hand and rushing behind the counter and towards a ladder. Nadia climbed first and she stared in awe at the view of the place. She knew flowers fields surrounded the village but from here it looked like they were in heaven or elysium. When Tahlia climbed up she saw Nadia’s eyes were lit up like a kid on Christmas morning.<br/>
“This-This is beautiful”<br/>
“It is your country Nadia”<br/>
Nadia smiled at Tahlia using her name. It sounded nice and made her want to only have Tahlia call her Nadia. It sounded like soothing, Tahlia’s voice to Nadia sounded like the goddess above. When they finally got settled in place with the food they began to make small talk.<br/>
“If you could be anyone else who would you be?” Tahlia asked innocently as she ate a small piece of cheese.<br/>
“I think I would be one of those farmers at the edge of the kingdom,” Nadia muttered as she still stared in awe at the beautiful flower fields.<br/>
“Good answer,” Tahlia laughed, “I think I would want to be a farmer with you,” She said while giggling at the look on Nadia’s face. Eventually Nadia laughed as well and they continued to ask questions about each other.<br/>
“Are you looking forward to being the crowned princess?” Tahlia asked as she leaned back on the roof and let the sunlight hit her skin. To Nadia the sunlight hit her skin perfectly and made her brown skin look shiny and amazing. When she heard the question it took her a moment to answer. Nadia hadn’t thought about it, she knew it was expected of her and she had no choice on the matter. No one in her life had asked her what she felt about the royal life; they all just assumed she loved it. The pretty clothing, the fancy balls, the expensive food all of it was amazing. Up until the point she realized all of this was built off the backs of the workings people.<br/>
When her father died she had every intention to dissolve the power of the monarchy and noble class and give it to the working people. A country where everyone was equal. That's the country she wanted to lead.<br/>
“Yes”<br/>
“For some reason I don’t believe you,” Tahlia said with a growing smile on her face.<br/>
“I’m telling the truth! I want to give the power to the people,” Nadia said while scooting over to move her head to Tahlia’s chest. Neither of them talked to each other just simply basking in each other’s presence. They just sat there, Tahlia playing with Nadia’s hair and Nadia humming a simple tune that sounded amazing to Tahlia. The hatch that led up to the roof opened which caused Nadia and Tahlia to jump apart from each other.<br/>
“Tahlia, your father is looking for you, something about finishing the princess’ muslin?” Mr. Hunte said while his eyes darted between the two.<br/>
“Yes thank you,” Tahlia said while packing away everything into the basket. Nadia helped as well and they climbed down the ladder silently. Both with hidden smiles on their faces still trying to hide it from one another. When they got back there was already a carriage waiting outside the shop. They both bid each other goodbyes but Nadia gave Tahlia a kiss on the cheek.<br/>
Tahlia was shell shocked but her smile was wide and anyone from a thousand miles away could tell she was happy. As Tahlia made her way back inside she saw the unfinished muslin she needed to finish and went to work right away. Unconsciously she started humming a tune, the one Nadia sang on the rooftop. Her father had been in his room all day sewing suits, it made him happy and Tahlia never minded running the shop. She liked seeing her father happy. Her hands moved in a rhythm and her eyes were squinted in concentration.<br/>
Once she finished there was a small layer of sweat on her forehead but she didn’t care. Her work on the muslin was fabulous and it was dark green to complement Nadia’s black eyes. The sigil of her house had been a serpent as well so to include a snake on the waist line stitched with black threading. It had flowy sleeves and she knew Nadia never liked showing neck so the dress was cut to only some of her collarbone.<br/>
Tahlia imagined how the dress would look on her and then her mind wandered to her little date with Nadia. To Tahlia the princess was no longer a stranger but more of a friend someone she could confide in. She knew of the laws in the country and how it was legal but where she lived it less than accepted. She still could not admit to herself that she liked women.<br/>
Sure she had imagined being with a guy but never long term. It was always one off romances never settling down with them. It wasn’t until Nadia that she saw herself settling down with someone. Her father probably wanted her to marry Ashton which she never minded until Nadia. She knew her father would not mind but it was what Ashton and others would think. Wait if he didn’t approve?<br/>
“Well if he doesn’t approve screw him, it's my life,” Tahlia said while packing away her threading and needle. Speak of the devi- Ashton he had just walked in through the door.<br/>
“Hello!” He said. Tahlia looked into his eyes and she didn’t feel anything like she did with Nadia. There was no jitterniss or laughter or breeziness like there had been with Nadia. Now she realized the feeling in her chest when she saw Ashton wasn’t love was something else. Something you would feel for a friend. Definitely not a partner.<br/>
Partner. The word itself was weird. Partners in her mind were her mother and father. Not her and Nadia. Maybe there was a book on this? Tahlia couldn’t admit to herself that she liked women. To her it was unheard of but to Nadia it was normal. Nadia is perfect in her mind, it was as if Nadia inhabited a part of her brain. And nothing, NOTHING could get her out. No matter how much she tried, Nadia was there.<br/>
“Hi,” Tahlia said while fake smiling down at the basket that held all of her sewing items.<br/>
“So I heard from Dad that you came by with a friend”<br/>
“Yeah, it was just an old friend”<br/>
“I thought I was your only friend”<br/>
Tahlia mentally cursed to herself as she tried to think of an excuse.<br/>
“Hence why I said OLD friend, I knew her when she was little. Her mother was friends with mine”<br/>
Ashton’s eyes widened and he dropped the subject. He knew she was sensitive about her mother and knew he should not press any further. What he did not know is that Tahlia was lying and she knew he would drop the subject after she mentioned her mother. Truth be told, when Tahlia was younger she was sensitive about her mother. But now as a young woman she accepted her mother’s death and decided it would be better to remember her rather than forget her.<br/>
“What are you doing for dinner?” Ashton asked. You see Ashton was not here just to hang out. He intended to ask her about dating and getting married. They had the perfect love story in his mind. Childhood friends who turned into lovers and got married. Perfect. There was only one problem in this lovely story.<br/>
“No! I’m not marrying you!” Tahlia exclaimed as Ashton got on one knee. Tahlia had agreed to dinner and now they were at the bakery roof. She backed away and bumped into the wall.<br/>
“Why! I thought we had something!” Ashton exclaimed, his eyes widening and jumping up from his spot. Tahlia quickly made her way down the ladder and rushed herself outside the shop. Tears threatened to fall as she realized that their friendship was most likely over. Ashton quickly rushed after her and now they were both standing in the street staring at each other.<br/>
“Yes, a fucking friendship! And you ruined it” Tahlia yelled as she jabbed a finger at his face. Years of friendship down the drain because he thought it was a good idea to get married. Ashton had a lost look in his eyes, his entire life’s plan breaking down in front of him.<br/>
“But- But I got your father’s permission!”<br/>
“Not his permission, his blessing! I am my own person!” She yelled while marching down the street towards her father’s shop. How dare he think that my father is my keeper, she thought. “Go home,” Tahlia said dejectedly as she glared at the ground.<br/>
“No we-we can s-still make this w-work”<br/>
“Have a nice life, Ashton” Tahlia said while smiling back at him with tears in her eyes. Ashton had tears streaming down his face. He realized what he had done, years of friendship down the drain. Just like that. Like a stain on a dress. Gone in a single wash.<br/>
It’s funny how friendship is. You don’t realize that you are out of the golden years of friendship till it is gone. In years some may not even remember what they look like. What their laughter sounds like. Hell they may not remember them. That was Tahlia. Others remember. They carry it with them almost like a badge, or weight. They imagine what could have been. They wonder what they could have changed. Was it them? Did they talk too much? Were they annoying them? This was Ashton. Two ends of a spectrum. Perpetually ends with one another.<br/>
“In another life,” Tahlia whispers to herself as she clutches her cloak closer to herself to protect from the harsh winds.<br/>
“I wanted this life,” Ashton whispers to himself while falling on his knees in sadness. He eventually drags himself back to his house and into his room. She was the one who got away, he thought to himself. Then the self-doubt set in. He blamed himself for everything. He imagined what he could have done better and differently. Little did he know there was nothing he could do.<br/>
It would be years before he made this realization.<br/>
~<br/>
Nadia returned to the castle just in time for dinner. Her father would not care if she had been gone for most of the day so long as she was back for dinner. It was tradition for the royal family to eat dinner together. The maids rushed her off to her room in order to change into a more simpler dress. When she arrived at the dining room her father was not there and she smirked to herself. Nadia had gotten there before her father so he couldn’t get mad at her for being late. She quickly seated herself and waited for her father to come to dinner.<br/>
Her mind drifted to Tahlia. She wondered what she would be doing right now. Probably enjoying dinner with her father. Her father was a nice old man. Someone she would look forward to being in-laws with. Tahlia probably had to do most things around their place considering her father was way past his prime. Nadia made a mental note to not say these thoughts to Tahlia’s father.<br/>
As she was making these mental notes her father entered the room. She quickly got up and bowed her head in respect. Not that he deserved respect, she thought. Her father quickly sat down and she sat down after him.<br/>
“What did you do today?” It was the same question he asked her everyday at dinner.<br/>
“I went to the fitting appointment and then I decided to visit the town the seamstress’ shop was in,” Nadia said hesitantly unsure of how her father would perceive this.<br/>
“That’s nice, listen there is something I need to talk to you about,” the king said while getting up and extended his hand out. Nadia put her hand in her fathers and he led her down a passageway towards his office. They got to his office and they both sat on a couch at the side of the room. “Listen to me, will you do that,” her father asked quietly.<br/>
“Yes I will father,” Nadia held a worried look in her eyes. Was this her father telling her that she is getting married.<br/>
“My sweet girl, I am sorry for the way I have treated you. I have treated you like this because you remind me so much of your mother. She would be so disappointed in me but I will be joining her soon so I will beg for her forgiveness wherever I end up” At this Nadia’s eyes widened.<br/>
“No, you are not going anywhere I can’t lead a country alone”<br/>
“I was younger than you when I was king. It isn't any different except for you are stronger than me,” He continued to talk to her about how they are moving up her princess coronation just in case anything happened to him. Nadia had tears in her eyes. This couldn’t be happening. She barely could decide who she liked, and now she had to rule over a fucking country. She had a stoic look on her face but inside she was drowning. Her responsibilities and duties of being a king were pushing her down until she was in a corner cradling herself from everything. Her father’s words echoed in her mind, “You are strong.” Was she, a voice in her head said.<br/>
When he was done talking all Nadia could do was back away slightly and rush to the door.<br/>
“I- I need some time to process this,” and with that she ran far. She stopped only when she got to the stables outside the castle. Nadia found her horse there and quickly situated herself on the horse. She kicked off and the horse dashed out of the castle fast even before any of the guards could see. In the dead of night she raced. Away from the future but towards another.</p>
  </div><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_foot_notes"><b>Notes for the Chapter:</b><blockquote class="userstuff">
          <p>Feel free to comment critiques and things like that, I am a new writer</p>
        </blockquote><b>Author's Note:</b><blockquote class="userstuff"><p>Feel free to comment critiques and things like that, I am a new writer</p></blockquote></div></div>
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